BOX SCORE

ATHENS, Ga. – On the final day of the Georgia Bulldog Classic, the Mercer softball team dropped a 2-0 decision to No. 7 and tournament host Georgia.

Coming off a notable 14-6 victory over Rutgers last night, the Bears (9-10, 0-0 A-Sun) continued their inspired play on Sunday in limiting the No. 7 ranked team in the country to just two runs on four hits. A strong outing from junior pitcher Kerri Nidiffer kept the Bears within reach throughout, but the Bears' could muster just three hits of their own in the game.

Sophomore McKenzie Woody accounted for two of the Bears three hits, recording a pair of singles in the first and third innings. The two hits improved her season average to .457 and she now has an A-Sun conference-leading 32 hits on the year.  

Nidiffer took over after freshman pitcher Jessica Holsinger got herself into a bit of jam in the first inning. Nidiffer did a commendable job of stranding three UGA runners to get out the inning unscathed.

However, in the their next time at the plate the Bulldogs would get to Nidiffer. In the second, UGA first baseman Tess Sito lined an RBI single through the left side of the Bears infield to take a 1-0 lead. Another RBI single in the second inning off the bat of Gracie Goulder gave the Bulldogs an insurance run if the Bears were to score.

Unfortunately, Mercer was unable to truly threaten the Bulldogs as UGA's two pitchers in the game (Morgan Montemayor and Erin Arevalo) accounted for nine strikeouts. Montemayor picked up her eighth win of the season, while Nidiffer falls to 3-5 on the year in allowing just the two runs and four hits in five and two-thirds innings of work.

The long awaited Bears first home game of the season is this Tuesday afternoon when Mercer welcomes in Presbyterian for a doubleheader at 4 and 6 p.m. at Sikes Field.